Our application is for partial financial support for the Gordon Research Conference on Ca2+ signaling. The conference will be held on June 21-26, 2009 at Il Ciocco Hotel (Near Lucca, Italy). This conference will be the 9th in this series of Gordon Research Conferences. The broad goal of this conference is to facilitate understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of Ca2+ homeostasis and to elucidate physiological and pathological effects produced by this important ion-messenger. Specific objectives for this meeting are: To bring together researchers specialising in fundamental aspects of calcium signaling and scientists with interests in the role of Ca2+ in physiological processes and in important diseases e.g. cardiovascular diseases, cancer, pancreatitis, Alzheimer's disease and others. To develop a stimulating program by inviting speakers and session chairs selected from among the leaders and innovators in the Ca2+ signaling research field (35-40 scientists in total). To attract a further 115 participants with strong interests in Ca2+ signaling who will benefit from cutting-edge lectures and extensive unhampered discussions, as well as from presenting and discussing their research work at poster sessions. To achieve a balanced participation of different groups of scientists (e.g. postdoctoral scientists, young group leaders, established investigators) and to give a fair opportunity for women, under represented minorities and persons with disabilities to participate and present at this meeting. The significance of this conference is that it is an essential biannual discussion forum critical for progress in the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling and the downstream physiological and pathological processes controlled by this important second messenger. The health relatedness. The Program will contain a session specifically dedicated to the role of Ca2+ signaling in disease. We will discuss the role of Ca2+ signaling in cancer, cardiac hypertrophy, pancreatitis and Alzheimer's disease. We anticipate that this session will help to reveal links between specific signaling mechanisms, which will be discussed in later sessions, with implications for important diseases. (End of Abstract)